Surface inspection tool and surface inspection method

ABSTRACT

A surface inspection tool  110  measures scattering light intensity of scattering light generated by irradiated irradiation light in association with a measurement coordinate on a wafer  200  with patterns and inspects the surface roughness of the wafer  200.  The surface inspection tool includes a controller  250  which extracts measurement coordinate of the measured scattering light intensity that is equal to or more than a lower limit threshold L, sets an inspection range  406  of the surface roughness inspection in a partial layout  405   a  of a part of the whole layout  401  of the pattern corresponding to the periphery of the extracted measurement coordinate, and obtains the surface roughness in the inspection range  406.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a surface inspection tool and a surfaceinspection method, both of which are used for inspection of a wafer withpatterns.

2. Description of the Related Art

In recent years, design rule shrinkage in leading edge semiconductordevices (apparatuses) has been pursued to the maximum, and not only thedesign rule shrinkage of pattern line widths but also thin filmrealization of produced films has been performed. In the case of a gateoxide film, a thin film having a film thickness of 1 to 2 nm is used andthe film thickness comes close to the magnitude of irregularities(surface roughness) of a film surface. Therefore, the ratio of variationfilm thickness which locally varies depending on the surface roughnessto the film thickness increases; and therefore, the surface roughness ofthe film surface which has not been brought problem in the conventionalsemiconductor devices is starting to have a large influence on thecharacteristics in the leading edge semiconductor devices.

Furthermore, configurations of wafer processing apparatuses used formanufacturing semiconductor devices have also been changed. For example,in a gate oxide film formation process, conventionally, there is ageneral mode in which several tens to about one hundred of wafers areprocessed in block by using a vertical type oxidation diffusionapparatus. However, nowadays, the use of an oxidation diffusionapparatus of sheet process suitable for large diameter realization ofwafers has been rapidly spread; and consequently, variations in filmthickness and surface roughness between the wafers due to the sheetprocess becomes one factor of degradation in yield of the semiconductordevices.

Therefore, in the production process of the leading edge semiconductordevices, it is necessary to set production conditions which does noteasily cause variations in the film thickness and surface roughness ofthe produced films, and to strictly control the film thickness andsurface roughness of the produced films manufactured under theproduction conditions.

As technology for measuring the surface roughness of the conventionalwafer, there are proposed the following methods: (1) a method in which awafer is cut or processed by focused ion beam (FIB) process and the cutsurface is observed with an electron microscope; (2) a method in whichsurface roughness of a wafer is measured with an atomic force microscope(AFM); (3) a method in which laser light is made incident on a wafersurface and scattering light caused by the surface roughness from thewafer surface is received to measure the surface roughness of the wafer,as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid open (JP-A) No.2006-64496A1 and JP-A No. 2002-340537A1. Furthermore, in JP-A No.7-19844A1, there is proposed a method in which an X-ray is used in placeof laser light.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

However, considering that surface roughness of a wafer with patterns ata process in mid-flow is measured, the prior arts have the followingproblems: the FIB process described in (1) is a destructive inspection,and therefore, a semiconductor device cannot be manufactured from thewafer having been used for the inspection; furthermore, in the AFMdescribed in (2), a step due to a pattern is larger by a magnitude ofseveral digits as compared with a step due to the surface roughness, andtherefore, in the measurement of the surface roughness in a regionhaving the step of the pattern, measurement accuracy of the surfaceroughness is degraded by measurement of the step of the pattern; andbesides, in the method which receives the scattering light described in(3), scattering light caused by a step of a pattern becomes noise, andtherefore, measurement accuracy of the surface roughness of the wafer isdegraded.

However, in the wafer with patterns, it is not necessarily the case thatthe surface roughness of the wafer cannot be measured by the methods of(2) and (3); however, a flat inspection range having the area necessaryfor measurement is placed at some place in the wafer surrounded by thepatterns, and the surface roughness in the flat inspection range ismeasured; and accordingly, net surface roughness having no effect of thepattern can be measured.

However, conventionally, the flat inspection range is searched by onlyvisual search, and much time is required for this search. Furthermore,this search is manual search; and therefore, it is also not possible toautomatically perform online measurement. From these points of view, inorder to measure the surface roughness of the wafer with patterns withhigh accuracy and in a nondestructive manner, it is considered that itis necessary to establish means capable of searching the flat inspectionrange without depending on the visual search.

Consequently, an object of the present invention is to solve the problemand to provide a surface inspection tool and a surface inspectionmethod, in which a flat inspection range capable of measuring surfaceroughness of a wafer with patterns with high accuracy and in anondestructive manner can be searched without visual search.

According to the present invention which has solved the problem, in asurface inspection tool and a surface inspection method, which measurescattering light intensity of scattering light generated by irradiatedirradiation light in association with a measurement coordinate on awafer with patterns and inspect surface roughness of the wafer, acontroller extracts the measurement coordinate of a location in whichthe measured scattering light intensity is equal to or more than a lowerlimit threshold, sets an inspection range of the surface roughnessinspection in a partial layout of a part of the whole layout of thepattern corresponding to the periphery of the extracted measurementcoordinate, and obtains the surface roughness in the inspection range.

According to the present invention, there can be provided a surfaceinspection tool and a surface inspection method, in which a flatinspection range capable of measuring surface roughness of a wafer withpatterns with high accuracy and in a nondestructive manner can besearched without visual search.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a configuration view of a surface inspection system which hasa surface inspection tool according to an embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is a configuration view of the surface inspection tool accordingto the embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a surface inspection method according to anembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4A is a schematic view of a region where there is no pattern on awafer surface, and FIG. 4B is a scattering light intensity distributionview in measuring the region where there is no pattern on the wafersurface by using the surface inspection tool;

FIG. 5A is the whole layout showing a (layout) pattern of a chip to beinspected, FIG. 5B is a partial layout showing a part of a memory unit,and FIG. 5C is a partial layout showing a part of a logic unit;

FIG. 6A is a distribution view of scattering light intensity in scanningbetween A-B of the chip to be inspected shown in FIG. 5A, FIG. 6B is adistribution view of scattering light intensity in scanning between A-Bof a reference chip shown in FIG. 5A, and FIG. 6C is a distribution viewof difference signal intensity along between A-B shown in FIG. 5A;

FIG. 7 is a screen display to be displayed on a display unit of thesurface inspection tool after measurement of scattering light intensityof a chip to be inspected at step S1 in the surface inspection methodaccording to the embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a window to be displayed on the display unit of the surfaceinspection tool at the time of setting support of a lower limitthreshold and an upper limit threshold at step S5 in the surfaceinspection method according to the embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a screen display to be displayed on the display unit of thesurface inspection tool after extraction of a candidate coordinate atstep S6 in the surface inspection method according to the embodiment ofthe present invention; and

FIG. 10 is a screen display to be displayed on the display unit of thesurface inspection tool in displaying a list at step S11 in the surfaceinspection method according to the embodiment of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

100 Measurement tool group of wafer surface roughness

101 Surface inspection system

110 Optical wafer surface inspection tool (surface inspection tool)

120 Data server

121 List display database

130 Design information database

140 Network

200 Wafer

210 Sample inspection table

211 Sample stage

212 Rotational shaft

213 Motor spindle

214 Linear motor

220 Illumination light source

221 Illumination light

230 Scattering light detector

231 a to 231 d Detector

232 a to 232 d Amplifier

233 a to 233 d A/D converter

240 Signal processing part

250 Tool controller

260 Stage controller

270 Information display unit

280 Input operation unit

290 Storage unit

295 Communication unit

301, 301 a, and 301 b Foreign particle

W301 a and W301 b Foreign particle signal (scattering light intensity)

302 Defect

W302 Defect signal (scattering light intensity)

310 and 311 Flat portion

W310 and W311 Flat portion signal (scattering light intensity)

320 Scattering light intensity distribution view

401 Chip to be inspected (whole layout)

402 and 402 a Memory unit

403 and 403 a Logic unit

404 Memory pattern

404 a Partial layout

405 Logic pattern

405 a Partial layout

406 Inspection range

501 Scattering light intensity of memory unit

502 Scattering light intensity of logic unit

503 Scattering light intensity of inspection range

504 Foreign particle signal

505 Defect signal

601 Scanned result display screen (GUI) for one chip

602 Contour chart display window

603 Display window of the whole layout of chip

604 Histogram display window

605 Enlarged display window of partial layout

606 SET button

607 Extraction button

608 Assist tool button

609 Contour chart

610 Histogram

611 Spectrum with low pattern density

612 Foreign particle or defect spectrum

613 and 614 Spectrum with high pattern density

701 Scattering light intensity focusing window

702L Lower limit threshold setting column

702H Upper limit threshold setting column

703 Registration button

704 Cancel button

801 Partial layout

900 Assist tool display screen (GUI)

901 Sequential serial number display column

902 Inspection tool image display column

903 Review image display column

904 Partial layout (CAD data) display column

905 Scattering light intensity display column

906 Object coordinate selection check column

910 Inspection condition selection check column

911 Scroll bar

913 Inspection execution button

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERED EMBODIMENTS

Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described withappropriate reference to the drawings. In addition, the same referencenumerals are given to common portions in the respective drawings andtheir detail description will not be repeated.

FIG. 1 shows a configuration view of a surface inspection system 101.The surface inspection system 101 includes a measurement tool group ofwafer surface roughness 100 composed of an optical wafer surfaceinspection tool 110, a data server 120, a design information database130, a review scanning electron microscope (SEM) 150, a criticaldimension-SEM (CD-SEM) 160, a particle element analyzing tool 170, anAFM 180, an electrical test tool 190, and the like; and the respectivedevices are connected via a network 140 each other.

The optical wafer surface inspection tool 110 has means which irradiatesa wafer surface with light impinging on the wafer to be scattered andobtains both the intensity of scattering light (scattering lightintensity) and a location (measurement coordinate) where the irradiationand the scattering are performed. In addition, in the embodiment, therewill be described a case where the surface inspection tool of thepresent invention is mainly used in the optical wafer surface inspectiontool 110. Conventionally, it is not possible to measure surfaceroughness of a wafer with patterns because scattering light due to aconcave and convex portion (step) of the pattern becomes noise; however,in the optical wafer surface inspection tool 110, a flat inspectionrange capable of measuring wafer surface roughness on the wafer withpatterns is pre-scanned, and a candidate for the flat inspection rangeare displayed on the basis of its scattering light intensitydistribution while being superimposed on the whole layout of asemiconductor device; and accordingly, a user can promptly and surelydesignate the inspection range from the candidates. Then, in the opticalwafer surface inspection tool 110, the surface roughness of the waferwith patterns can be automatically measured by using the inspectionrange. In the case of the flat inspection range, scattering light due tothe pattern step is not generated; and therefore, the surface roughnessof the wafer can be measured with high accuracy. Furthermore, the userdoes not need to search the whole range of the semiconductor device, butmay search the candidates for the inspection range; and therefore, theflat inspection range can be promptly searched.

The data server 120 is a computer which can store data such asmeasurement data obtained from the optical wafer surface inspection tool110; measurement data of the review SEM 150, the CD-SEM 160, and the AFM180; test data of the electrical test tool 190; and analysis data of theparticle element analyzing tool 170, in association with an identifierof the wafer. Furthermore, the data server 120 stores an identifier ofthe semiconductor device manufactured on the wafer in association withthe identifier of the wafer. The data server 120 has a list displaydatabase 121, and the list display database 121 saves a list displaybeing made on the basis of the measurement data saved in the data server120. Then, an identifier of a wafer to be inspected is obtained, and theidentifier of the semiconductor device manufactured on the wafer to beinspected can be read out on the basis of the identifier of the wafer tobe inspected. In addition, the detail of the list display will bedescribed later.

The design information database 130 is a database which saves design(CAD) data of the wafer; and, for example, design information data suchas layout data (floor plan data) of a functional block such as a memoryunit and a logic unit which constitute the semiconductor device (chip);mask data for forming layers such as an active layer and a wiring layerof the semiconductor device, which is made as a result of layout basedon the layout data; configuration data of the pattern which thefunctional block has, that is, the semiconductor device has; arrangementdata of the semiconductor devices on the wafer; positional data in ascribe region; and positional data of a TEG, are stored and saved inassociation with the identifier of the semiconductor device. Then, thewhole layout (layout data) of the semiconductor device manufactured onthe wafer to be inspected can be read out on the basis of the identifierof the semiconductor device manufactured on the wafer to be inspected.Furthermore, the configuration data of the pattern of the semiconductordevice on the periphery of the measurement coordinate can be read out onthe basis of the measurement coordinate.

The review SEM 150 is a tool which makes an observation and aclassification of a foreign particle or a defect on the wafer by using ascanning electron microscope. First, the optical wafer surfaceinspection tool 110 measures the presence or absence of the foreignparticle or the defect and the measurement coordinate in which theforeign particle or the defect is observed. Then, the review SEM 150observes the foreign particle or the defect and classifies them toidentify occurrence reasons of the foreign particle or the defect on thebasis of information of the measurement coordinate and the like.

The CD-SEM 160 obtains the identifier of the wafer to be inspected;reads out an identifier of the semiconductor device manufactured on thewafer on the basis of the identifier of the wafer to be inspected and,further, a measurement recipe which is for measuring the semiconductordevice; and performs automatic measurement of line widths and spaces ofpatterns of the semiconductor device on the basis of the measurementrecipe.

The particle element analyzing tool 170 is one which analyzes a foreignparticle element and an energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer (EDX), forexample. The foreign particle can be easily found on the basis of theinformation such as the measurement coordinate of the foreign particleobserved by the optical wafer surface inspection tool 110; andtherefore, the particle element analyzing tool 170 can promptly analyzethe foreign particle element.

The AFM 180 is a tool which observes a surface state of the wafer(surface roughness) in non-contact and nondestructive manners bymeasuring atomic forces which the tip of a probe receives from the wafersurface. In addition, in the embodiment, there will be described a casewhere the surface inspection tool of the present invention is mainlyused in the optical wafer surface inspection tool 110; however, thepresent invention is not limited to this, and the surface inspectiontool of the present invention can be also used in the AFM 180. Accordingto this, the flat inspection range can be found by searching; andtherefore, the probe does not go over the step due to patterns,measurement accuracy of the measurement of the surface roughness can beincreased. As described above, the surface inspection tool of thepresent invention can be used in various kinds of surface inspectiontools which measure the surface roughness. It is considered that theoptical wafer surface inspection tool 110 and the AFM 180 include thesurface inspection tool of the present invention; however, the presentinvention is not limited to this, and the surface inspection tool of thepresent invention may be provided on the outside of the optical wafersurface inspection tool 110 or the AFM 180. However, a mechanicalconfiguration of the surface inspection tool of the present invention isalready provided in the optical wafer surface inspection tool 110; andtherefore, the simplest and most secure implementation method is toimplement the surface inspection tool of the present invention, for theoptical wafer surface inspection tool 110.

The electrical test tool 190 is a tool which obtains an identifier of awafer to be inspected; reads out the identifier of the semiconductordevice manufactured on the wafer on the basis of the identifier of thewafer to be inspected and, further, reads out a test recipe which is fortesting the semiconductor device; applies a signal waveform to thesemiconductor device (chip) on the wafer on the basis of the testrecipe; and compares an output waveform outputted from the chip at thattime to a normal waveform preliminarily stored in the data server 120 orthe electrical test tool 190.

The network 140 is a communication network by Ethernet (trademark), forexample.

Next, the operation of the surface inspection system 101 will bedescribed.

The optical wafer surface inspection tool 110 executes a surfaceinspection method of the present invention (to be described later) andmeasures surface roughness of a wafer; obtains arithmetic mean deviationof the profile Ra, root mean square roughness Rms, and the like whichrepresent the surface roughness; and stores in the data server 120. Theoptical wafer surface inspection tool 110 can measure not only thesurface roughness but also detect a foreign particle or a defect. Inorder to further investigate the foreign particle detected by theoptical wafer surface inspection tool 110, a wafer to be inspected ismoved to the review SEM 150 or the CD-SEM 160. This delivery may bemanually or mechanically performed.

After the wafer to be inspected is moved to the review SEM 150 or theCD-SEM 160, an access is made from the review SEM 150 or the CD-SEM 160to the data server 120, and an inspected result of the optical wafersurface inspection tool 110 is received from the data server 120 via thenetwork 140. Then, review or length measurement is started by using theinspected result. At the time of performing the review or the lengthmeasurement, it is possible that an access is made to the designinformation database 130; search of a measurement coordinate, matchingof positional information, and the like are performed from designinformation; the measurement coordinate is found out correctly and fast;and that the review or the length measurement is efficiently performed.At this time, information added by the optical wafer surface inspectiontool 110 is used and a foreign particle against which a countermeasureis needed is preferentially reviewed; and accordingly, it becomespossible to promptly analyze the foreign particle which causes a fault.Furthermore, similarly, also in the particle element analyzing tool 170,the foreign particle can be easily searched and analyzed on the basis ofthe inspected result of the optical wafer surface inspection tool 110;and therefore, the analysis of the fault cause can be promptly advanced.

These review data and analysis result are saved in the data server 120and are confronted with a test result in the electrical test tool 190;and accordingly, it is possible to confirm whether or not it finallybecomes a fault. In the case where it does not finally become a fault,data for changing the standard for selecting the foreign particleagainst which the countermeasure is needed is transmitted to the opticalwafer surface inspection tool 110 from the data server 120, and thestandard of the optical wafer surface inspection tool 110 fordetermination whether a countermeasure is required or not is changed;and accordingly, it becomes possible to select the foreign particleagainst which the countermeasure is needed with high accuracy, and itbecomes possible to promptly take the countermeasures against the faultduring manufacturing of the semiconductor device.

In addition, the description is made by use of an example in which datasuch as the inspected result is sent and received via the network 140;however, it does not necessarily send and receive via the network 140,for example, it may be performed by data passing through a removablestorage medium or a printed out paper copy.

FIG. 2 shows a configuration view of the optical wafer surfaceinspection tool 110 (surface inspection tool of the present invention).The optical wafer surface inspection tool 110 comprises a sampleinspection table 210, an illumination light source 220, a scatteringlight detector 230, signal processing part 240, a tool controller(corresponding to a controller stated in the appended claim 250, a stagecontroller 260, an information display unit 270, an input operation unit280, a storage unit 290, and a communication unit 295.

The sample inspection table 210 includes a sample stage 211 on which asample such as a wafer 200 is mounted, a motor spindle 213 which rotatesthe sample stage 211 around the center of a rotational shaft 212, and alinear motor 214 which moves the sample stage 211 in a radial direction.

In this case, the motor spindle 213 and the linear motor 214 arecontrolled by the stage controller 260 which receives a command signalfrom the tool controller 250.

The illumination light source 220 is placed so that irradiating light(illumination light 221) irradiates at a certain one point (spot) on thesample stage 211. Therefore, while the motor spindle 213 of the sampleinspection table 210 rotates the rotational shaft 212 under the controlof the stage controller 260, the linear motor 214 is moved in the radialdirection; and accordingly, all measurement coordinates on the samplestage 211 can be served as a spot, and the illumination light 221 can beirradiated at the specific measurement coordinate of the wafer 200 onthe sample stage 211.

Then, the specific measurement coordinate of the wafer 200 which isirradiated with the illumination light 221 can be converted into an XYcoordinate by the stage controller 260 on the basis of a rotationalangle of the motor spindle 213 and radial movement distance of thelinear motor 214. Obtained XY coordinate data is saved in the storageunit 290 via the tool controller 250. In this case, in order to reduce aspot area as much as possible, high coherency light such as laser lightis preferable for the illumination light 221.

The scattering light detector 230 has detectors 231 a to 231 d whichdetect scattering light. In FIG. 2, total four detectors of thedetectors 231 a and 231 d disposed at a low angle position and thedetectors 231 b and 231 c disposed at a high angle position are shown;however, there is no limitation in the number of the detectors 231 a to231 d, there may be arranged two or more detectors so that the detectors231 a to 231 d are different from each other in at least one of anazimuthal angle and an elevation angle of the direction from the spot tothe detectors. The detectors 231 a to 231 d detect their respectivescattering light generated at the spot on the surface of the wafer 200,which is irradiated with the illumination light (laser light) 221 fromthe illumination light source 220. A signal of a foreign particle or adefect (defect signal) and a surface roughness signal (haze signal) areincluded in detection signals outputted by the detectors 231 a to 231 d.

Furthermore, in the scattering light detector 230, the detectors 231 ato 231 d are connected to their respective amplifiers 232 a to 232 d,and in turn, connected to their respective A/D converters 233 a to 233d. With this configuration, the detection signals of the detectors 231 ato 231 d are amplified by their respective amplifiers 232 a to 232 d,and are converted to digital signals in their respective A/D converters233 a to 233 d.

The signal processing part 240 makes synthesized signals by combiningthe digitalized detection signals in accordance with calculationconditions (program) specified. Data of the synthesized signals combinedby the signal processing part 240 and data of the digitalized detectionsignals which have been the basis for the synthesized signals are savedin the storage unit 290 via the tool controller 250. In addition, dataof the synthesized signals includes scattering light intensity.

The tool controller 250 performs control of the whole optical wafersurface inspection tool 110, measures scattering light intensity of thescattering light resulted from the irradiated illumination light(irradiation light) 221 in association with a measurement coordinate onthe wafer with patterns 200, and inspects surface roughness of the wafer200. Furthermore, the tool controller 250 receives an operation signalfrom the input operation unit 280, performs processing corresponding tothe operation signal by using the program stored in the storage unit290, outputs the command signal on which the stage controller 260performs control of the motor spindle 213 and the linear motor 214 whichthe sample inspection table 210 has, and changes calculation conditionswhich are for combining the digitalized detection signals by the signalprocessing part 240.

Furthermore, the tool controller 250 makes the storage unit 290 storethe data of the synthesized signals combined by the signal processingpart 240 and the data of the digitalized detection signals of thedetectors 231 a to 231 d which are the basis for the synthesizedsignals; processes those data by using the processing program stored inthe storage unit 290; and makes the information display unit 270 displaythem.

The input operation unit 280 is one by which a user inputs combinationconditions of the detection signals by the signal processing part 240and designates operations or the like of the respective devices, asdescribed above.

The storage unit 290 stores the program and constant number necessaryfor various kinds of controls and calculation processes, measurementresults (synthesized signals and detection signal), the combinationconditions set by the input operation unit 280, and the like. The dataof the synthesized signals and the data of the detection signals of therespective detectors 231 a to 231 d are stored together with themeasurement coordinate of the scattering light on the wafer obtainedfrom the stage controller 260.

The communication unit 295 is connected to the network 140, and the toolcontroller 250 performs sending and receiving of data with the dataserver 120 and the design information database 130 via the communicationunit 295.

Next, a surface inspection method according to an embodiment of thepresent invention which is mainly performed by the tool controller 250will be described.

FIG. 3 shows a flowchart of the surface inspection method according tothe embodiment of the present invention.

First, at step S1, the tool controller 250 controls the whole opticalwafer surface inspection tool 110, and measures scattering lightintensity of scattering light resulted from the irradiated illuminationlight (irradiation light) 221 in association with a measurementcoordinate on the wafer with patterns 200.

In this case, although it is in the middle of the description of theflowchart, the characteristics of the scattering light intensity will bedescribed for ease of understanding the present invention.

FIG. 4A shows a schematic view of a region where there is no pattern onthe surface of the wafer 200. For example, foreign particles 301 a and301 b are present and a defect 302 is generated on the surface of thewafer 200 that is an object to be measured. There exist irregularitiescorresponding to the surface roughness on flat portions 310 and 311 onthe surface of the wafer 200. A step of the irregularities on the flatportion 310 is smaller than a step of the irregularities on the flatportion 311, and the surface roughness on the flat portion 310 becomessmaller.

FIG. 4B shows a scattering light intensity distribution view 320 in thecase where the scattering light intensity is measured along the surfaceof the wafer 200 shown in FIG. 4A. Scattering light intensity W310 canbe obtained from the scattering light generated at the flat portion 310by irradiating the wafer 200 with the illumination light 221. Similarly,scattering light intensity W301 a can be obtained from the foreignparticle 301 a; scattering light intensity W311 can be obtained from theflat portion 311; scattering light intensity W302 can be obtained fromthe defect 302; and scattering light intensity W301 b can be obtainedfrom the foreign particle 301 b. Then, the scattering light intensitydistribution view 320 can be made from the scattering light intensityfor each of the measurement coordinates on the surface of the measuredwafer 200.

In the scattering light intensity, foreign particle elements (W301 a,W302, and W301 b) are larger than surface roughness elements (W310 andW311); and therefore, the foreign particle elements (W301 a, W302, andW301 b) can he separated from the surface roughness elements (W310 andW311) by using an upper limit threshold H which can be designated by theinput operation unit 280 shown in FIG. 2.

The scattering light intensity W310 of the surface roughness element(W310) is smaller than the scattering light intensity W311 of thesurface roughness element (W311). For this reason, it shows thatmagnitude relation in the surface roughness is correlated to magnituderelation in the scattering light intensity. Then, the average of thescattering light intensity of all the surface roughness elements (W310and W311) which are separated from the foreign particle element istaken; and accordingly, a Haze value of the average surface roughness onthe surface of the wafer 200 that is the object to be measured can beobtained, and it becomes possible to compare the surface roughness amonga plurality of the wafers 200.

The characteristics of the scattering light intensity of the regionwhere there is no pattern on the semiconductor device (chip) has beendescribed so far. Next, the characteristics of the scattering lightintensity of a region where there is a pattern will be described.

FIG. 5A shows one example of the whole layout of the (layout) pattern ofa chip to be inspected of the semiconductor device. Generally, a chip tobe inspected 401 is composed of a plurality of functional blocks such asmemory units 402 and 402 a and logic units 403 and 403 a, and connectionis made by wiring among the functional blocks. In many cases, as shownin a partial layout 404 a in FIG. 5B, the partial layout 404 a being apart of the memory unit 402 shown in FIG. 5A, a memory pattern 404 witha high repeatability is formed in the memory units 402 and 402 a. Thememory pattern 404 has a dense pattern configuration with a highoccupation density of the pattern. On the other hand, as shown in apartial layout 405 a in FIG. 5C, the partial layout 405 a being a partof the logic unit 403 shown in FIG. 5A, a logic pattern 405 with lowrepeatability is fainted in the logic units 403 and 403 a. The logicpattern 405 has a sparse pattern configuration with a low occupationdensity of the pattern. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 5C, there are manycases where there exists a flat inspection range 406 capable ofmeasuring surface roughness in the logic unit 403.

Measurement is performed by using the optical wafer surface inspectiontool 110, and therefore, if a spot diameter of a laser beam that is theillumination light 221 is approximately 10 μm, a sufficient size capableof measuring the scattering light intensity distribution view 320, asthe inspection region, is equal to or more than approximately 50 μm×50μm.

In this case, as shown in FIG. 5A, if the spot (measurement coordinate)is scanned in a direction from A to B and the scattering light intensityis measured, the scattering light intensity distribution view can beobtained as shown in FIG. 6A. Scattering light intensity 501 of thememory unit 402 with dense pattern is lower than scattering lightintensity 502 of the logic unit 403 with sparse pattern. Therefore, alower limit threshold L is set to be of amplitude between the scatteringlight intensity 501 and the scattering light intensity 502; andaccordingly, a sparse pattern region like the logic unit 403 can beeasily extracted.

In the scattering light intensity 502 of the logic unit 403, thescattering light intensity 503 of the inspection range 406 shows a largevalue. Therefore, although not shown in the drawing, the lower limitthreshold L is set to be of amplitude between the scattering lightintensity 502 and the scattering light intensity 503; and accordingly,the inspection range 406 can be easily extracted.

Then, the scattering light intensity is obtained by scanning not only inthe direction from A to B, but also scanning the whole one chip of thesemiconductor device, for example; and accordingly, the inspection range406 can be searched mutually exclusive and collectively exhaustive.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 6A, a foreign particle signal 504 causedby a foreign particle and a defect signal 505 caused by a defect arealso observed. The scattering light intensities of the foreign particlesignal 504 and the defect signal 505 are higher than the scatteringlight intensity 502 of the logic unit 403 and the scattering lightintensity 503 of the inspection range 406. Therefore, the upper limitthreshold H is set to be of amplitude between both the scattering lightintensities of the foreign particle signal 504 and the defect signal 505and the scattering light intensity 503 or the scattering light intensity502; and accordingly, the foreign particle signal 504 and the defectsignal 505 can be easily excluded from objects to be extracted.

By the way, in an ordinary optical wafer surface inspection tool 110,given that scattering light intensity distribution shown in FIG. 6A is ameasured result of the chip to be inspected on the wafer 200 (see FIG.2), scattering light intensity distribution of a reference chip as shownin FIG. 6B is measured in advance of the inspection measurement. Asemiconductor chip placed on the same wafer 200 as the chip to beinspected can be used for the reference chip and, more particularly, thesemiconductor chip adjacent to the chip to be inspected can be used. Inaddition, coordinate systems used for measurement coordinates areindependent of each other among chips. Then, in order to easily comparethe same locations in the chips, coordinate systems which are the samein system are used between a plurality of chips so that their originsare unified to be at the bottom left of the chips. Then, in the ordinaryoptical wafer surface inspection tool 110, as shown in FIG. 6C, thescattering light intensity of the reference chip is subtracted from thescattering light intensity of the chip to be inspected for eachcorresponding measurement coordinate, and difference signal intensity isobtained; accordingly, only the scattering light intensities of theforeign particle signal 504 and the defect signal 505 measured in thechip to be inspected can be obtained as the difference signal intensity,and the foreign particle or the defect can be detected. Furthermore, ifrequired, a threshold level is set, and the inspection of the foreignparticle or the defect may be performed on the basis of the differencesignal intensity larger than the threshold level.

In the before mention, the characteristics of the scattering lightintensity of the region where there is no pattern on the semiconductordevice (chip) and those of the scattering light intensity of the regionwhere there is a pattern are described. Then afterward, getting back tothe flowchart shown in FIG. 3, description will be made about thesurface inspection method after its step S2. In the surface inspectionmethod to be described later, the characteristics of the scatteringlight intensity are skillfully used and the flat inspection ranges aresearched.

First, after the measurement of the scattering light intensity at stepS1 shown in FIG. 3, at step S2, the tool controller 250 (see FIG. 2)performs screen display of the distribution of the scattering lightintensity with respect to the measurement coordinate by a contour chart609 shown in FIG. 7. FIG. 7 shows a scanned result display screen (GUI)601 for one chip to be displayed on the information display unit 270(see FIG. 2). A contour chart display window 602 is provided at theupper left of the scanned result display screen (GUI) 601, and thecontour chart 609 is displayed in the contour chart display window 602.Scanning for one chip of the semiconductor chip is performed, and thedistribution of scattering light intensity of the scanned result isshown by contours 10, 20, and 30 in the contour chart 609. Thescattering light intensities on the contours 10, 20, and 30 become 10,20, and 30, respectively. A region surrounded by the contour 20 islarger in the scattering light intensity than a region surrounded by thecontour 10. A region surrounded by the contour 30 is larger in thescattering light intensity than the region surrounded by the contour 20.

Next, at step S3, the tool controller 250 reads out the whole layout ofthe chip to be inspected from the design information database 130 (seeFIG. 1), and performs screen display in a whole layout display window603 at the upper right of the scanned result display screen (GUI) 601.The contour chart display window 602 and the whole layout display window603 are equivalent in window size so that the chips to be objected aredisplayed in the same size, respectively. In addition, of course, thewhole layout may be displayed while being juxtaposed with the contourchart 609, or may be displayed while being superimposed on it.

Next, at step S4, the tool controller 250 performs screen display of ahistogram 610 of the scattering light intensity for one chip on thehistogram display window 604 at the lower left of the scanned resultdisplay screen (GUI) 601. For example, the area of the region surroundedby the contour 10 of the contour chart 609 corresponds to an integrationvalue of frequencies equal to or more than the scattering lightintensity of 10 in the histogram 610. Similarly, the area of the regionsurrounded by the contour 20 corresponds to an integration value offrequencies equal to or more than the scattering light intensity of 20in the histogram 610; and, the area of the region surrounded by thecontour 30 corresponds to an integration value of frequencies equal toor more than the scattering light intensity of 30 in the histogram 610.Furthermore, qualitatively, the logic unit 403 appears as a spectrum 611with a low pattern density. The memory unit 402 appears as spectra 613and 614 with a high pattern density. The scattering light intensity ofthe spectra 613 and 614 being lower than the scattering light intensityof the spectrum 611 is as a result of the characteristics that thehigher the pattern density is, the smaller the scattering lightintensity becomes, as described in the characteristics of the scatteringlight intensity. Furthermore, the foreign particle or the defect appearsas a foreign particle or defect spectrum 612. The scattering lightintensity of the foreign particle or defect spectrum 612 being higherthan the scattering light intensity of the spectrum 611 is as describedin the characteristics of the scattering light intensity.

Furthermore, although to be described later, an enlarged display windowof a partial layout 605 in which a partial layout of a part of the wholelayout of the chip to be inspected 401 is enlarged and displayed, a SETbutton 606 which is making an operator determine the specifiedinspection range, an extraction button 607 which is for automaticallyextracting the measurement coordinate having the scattering lightintensity between the upper limit threshold H and the lower limitthreshold L, and an assist tool button 608 which is for moving to anassist tool are provided at the lower right of the scanned resultdisplay screen (GUI) 601.

Next, at step S5, the tool controller 250 performs setting support ofthe lower limit threshold L and the upper limit threshold H. When theextraction button 607 is clicked by the operator, a scattering lightintensity focusing window 701 shown in FIG. 8 is appeared. The operatoris persuaded to set the lower limit threshold L and the upper limitthreshold H by the appearance of the window 701; with reference to thehistogram 610 shown in FIG. 7, the operator inputs, for example, 28 in alower limit threshold setting column 702L as the lower limit thresholdL, and inputs, for example, 33 in an upper limit threshold settingcolumn 702H as the upper limit threshold H. Then, when a registrationbutton 703 is clicked by the operator, the lower limit threshold L andthe upper limit threshold H are set. In addition, it becomes possible tocancel the inputted lower limit threshold L and the upper limitthreshold H by clicking a cancel button 704, and to input again.

Then, the lower limit threshold L and the upper limit threshold H can beimage-displayed on a lateral axis (scattering light intensity) in thehistogram 610 of the histogram display window 604 shown in FIG. 9.

Next, at step S6, the tool controller 250 extracts measurementcoordinates (candidate coordinate) n1 to n7 having the scattering lightintensities equal to or more than the lower limit threshold L and equalto or less than the upper limit threshold H.

At step S7, the tool controller 250 displays the extracted candidatecoordinates n1 to n7 by dot on both the contour chart 609 and the wholelayout of the chip to be inspected 401 as shown in FIG. 9. The candidatecoordinates n1 to n7 are displayed while being superimposed on thecontour chart 609; and accordingly, the operator can easily confirm thatthe candidate coordinates n1 to n7 are set at a place where thescattering light intensity is large. Furthermore, the candidatecoordinates n1 to n7 are displayed while being superimposed on the wholelayout of the chip to be inspected 401; and accordingly, it is possibleto understand at a glance where the candidate coordinates n1 to n7 areplaced on the whole layout.

At step S8, the inspection range 406 is set in a partial layout 801including the candidate coordinates n1 to n7 by the tool controller 250.The step S8 may also has screen display of a partial layout at step S9and setting support of an inspection range at step S10, and may also hasa list display at step S11 and determining support of a partial layoutat step S12. Furthermore, all in the steps S9 to S12 may be had.

At step S9, the operator clicks one candidate coordinate among aplurality of the candidate coordinates n1 to n7, for example, clicks adot of the candidate coordinate n4. By this click, the tool controller250 performs screen display of the partial layout 801 corresponding tothe periphery of the candidate coordinate n4 in the enlarged displaywindow of the partial layout 605, and supports inspection range settingfor the operator.

At step S10, if the operator wants to set the inspection range 406 inthe enlarged display window of the partial layout 605, the operatorclicks the SET button 606. By this click, the tool controller 250 setsthe inspection range 406 in the enlarged display window of the partiallayout 605 as shown in FIG. 9.

Furthermore, it may proceed to step S11 by skipping step S9 and stepS10.

At step S11, the tool controller 250 performs screen display of anassist tool display screen (GUI) 900 as shown in FIG. 10 on theinformation display unit 270 by clicking the assist tool button 608 bythe operator; and accordingly, the partial layout or the like on theperiphery of the candidate coordinates n1 to n9 are list-displayed. Datawhich is for list-displaying is stored in the list display database 121shown in FIG. 1; and accordingly, the list display can be easilygenerated. The assist tool display screen (GUI) 900 includes asequential serial number display column 901 in which identificationnumbers of the candidate coordinates n1 to n9 are set; an inspectiontool image display column 902 which displays an inspection tool image ofthe range corresponding to the partial layout on the periphery of thecandidate coordinates n1 to n9, which is taken by the optical wafersurface inspection tool 110 (see FIG. 1); a review image display column903 which displays a review image of the range corresponding to thepartial layout, which is taken by the review SEM 150 (see FIG. 1); apartial layout (CAD data) display column 904 which displays a partiallayout (CAD data) corresponding to the partial layout 801 shown in FIG.9; a scattering light intensity display column 905 which displays thescattering light intensities in the candidate coordinates n1 to n9 whichhave been measured by the optical wafer surface inspection tool 110 (seeFIG. 1); and a candidate coordinate selection check column 906 in whichthe operator selects the candidate coordinates. Furthermore, there is acase where it is measured by the optical wafer surface inspection tool110 while inspection conditions t1 to t3 being changed, and theinspection tool image and the scattering light intensity may bedisplayed for each of the inspection conditions t1 to t3.

At step S12, by performing such list display, the operator can easilyfind the candidate coordinate capable of setting the inspection range406 (see FIG. 9), for example, n4 in various images (partial layout).The operator clicks the selection check column 906 of the candidatecoordinate n4; and accordingly, the tool controller 250 can display acheck on the selection check column 906 of the candidate coordinate n4,can support a determination of the partial layout, and can further setthe inspection range 406 as shown in FIG. 9.

Furthermore, for example, the operator can easily find the inspectioncondition t3 with which the scattering light intensity of 40 with thehighest sensitivity has been obtained, for example, by watching thescattering light intensities 30, 35, and 40 of the candidate coordinaten4. The operator clicks a selection check column 910 of the inspectioncondition t3; and accordingly, the tool controller 250 displays a checkon the selection check column 910 of the inspection condition t3, andthe inspection condition t3 can be set in the inspection conditions. Inaddition, even when the candidate coordinates n1 to n9 and theinspection conditions t1 to t3 increase, it is possible to handle thelist display by a scroll bar 911.

At step S13, the operator clicks an inspection execution button 913shown in FIG. 10 or the SET button 606 shown in FIG. 9; and accordingly,the tool controller 250 obtains the scattering light intensity withinthe inspection range 406. Actually, the scattering light intensity onlywithin the inspection range 406 may be measured again, or the scatteringlight intensity only within the inspection range 406 may be read outfrom the measured result measured at step S1.

Finally, at step S14, the surface roughness within the inspection range406 is calculated on the basis of the scattering light intensity withinthe inspection range 406.

As described above, according to the embodiment, the flat inspectionrange 406 capable of inspecting the surface roughness, which exists onthe wafer with patterns 200 can be easily specified, and the surfaceroughness in the inspection range 406 can be automatically measured in anondestructive manner, and with high speed and high accuracy. Then, byuse of the measured result of the surface roughness of the wafer 200measured by the embodiment, semiconductor process fluctuation ismonitored; and accordingly, it becomes possible to early detect processabnormality and to improve yield of the semiconductor chip. As describedabove, the embodiment can be used for semiconductor element inspectionand measurement in the manufacturing field of semiconductor chips andsemiconductor manufacturing process control.

1-13. (canceled)
 14. A system for acquiring scattering lightdistribution of an object formed on a pattern, comprising: anillumination unit which irradiates the object with light; a detectionunit which detects scattered light from the object; and a processingunit which acquires a scattering light distribution image from adetection result of the detection unit.
 15. The system according toclaim 14, wherein the processing unit relates the scattering lightdistribution image to a pattern layout.
 16. The system according toclaim 14, wherein the illumination unit irradiates at least one of amemory area and a logic area with the light.
 17. The system according toclaim 16, wherein the illumination unit irradiates the memory area andthe logic area with the light.
 18. A method for acquiring scatteringlight distribution of an object formed on a pattern, the methodcomprising the steps of: irradiating the object with light; detectingscattered light from the object; and acquiring a scattering lightdistribution image from the detected scattered light.
 19. The methodaccording to claim 18, further comprising the step of relating thescattering light distribution image to a pattern layout.
 20. The methodaccording to claim 18, wherein at least one of a memory area and a logicarea is irradiated with the light.
 21. The method according to claim 20,wherein the memory area and the logic area are irradiated with thelight.